I sat, looking at the computer, trying to flip back and forth between the website for the brothel I was looking at and my facebook tab, trying to compare pictures to decide if I thought this was really the same girl.
I think it is. Mind, uh, blown, I guess I'd say?
I stood, and walked around my living room, trying to decide what to do with this information. Part of me can't even believe I'm considering this, but, on the other hand, here I am, looking at a girl on a brothel's website.
I cast my mind back, remembering... A few years ago the government had passed a referendum allowing for prostitution in select circumstances. It was all safe now, all the girls are STD tested weekly, and the guys are required to show a negative test as well. The brothels are licensed and, while the girls are not required to have a license, the brothel is required to give them some training in safe sex techniques to help avoid issues. Condoms are optional, depending on the girl you are working with. All-in-all, it actually seemed like a pretty good set up.
Back when the referendum passed I was still with my now-ex girlfriend. Didn't really pay much attention to it but I do vaguely remember there being some opposition to what was being proposed. Turned out not to matter in the end, I suppose. But times change -- clearly, I think bitterly, remembering finding out my ex had cheated on me. When the referendum went through I didn't really say much about it one way or the other but I never really did see myself taking advantage of it.
Oh, how times change.
My ex cheated on me about six months ago, and it took me a week or two to decide after I found out that I wasn't gonna be able to move on with that knowledge, and had appropriately informed her. I've had a few flings since then, but it's so hit or miss, trying to pick up women at the bar or using the various dating apps that are out there. I guess I kinda just wanted to have some fun with a woman I wouldn't remember in a few weeks, which was led me to remembering about the new laws that had been passed.
I sat back down at the computer and began working through the paperwork. I had actually been tested for STDs after my last fling, I figured it was probably a good idea at the time anyway since I had been with three or four women since my ex and I split. Negative, across the board, and I submitted the paperwork via the little dropbox they gave me.
The website asked me which of the girls I would be interested in, or if I had no preference. I had to look back at the list again because Caprice was using some sort of stage name, and I couldn't remember what it was.
"Rose," I muttered to myself, finding the page again and selecting the appropriate box on the application. I filled out the rest of it; it was actually all pretty simple. Just basic contact and biographical information, and I sped through it, making sure it submitted successfully.
Finishing the application, I sat back in my chair and let this whole thing wash over me again. I think I had already mentioned, I had tried the bar scene and all of that. And it worked, sometimes, but it was such a crap shoot, too. I've had nights where I've spent a bunch of money on a date and drinks and all of that and nothing ended up happening. Not their fault, sometimes the chemistry just isn't there and I'm not the type to force something to happen where there isn't a mutual interest.
Ath the end of it, though, I decided it would be a better use of my time and money just to get directly down to business. Maybe at some point a little later on I might try again, especially if I wanted to get a new actual girlfriend. But I wasn't there, yet, I still haven't quite processed the whole end of my relationship, quite yet.
"But a guy has needs," I thought to myself, smiling a little. I began thinking back to Caprice in high school. I knew back then she was originally from California (Orange County, actually!), and I also remember she was probably one of the hottest women in my school. We were friends but not particularly close, mostly because our last names were almost sequential so we ended up sitting right behind each other, her in front with me behind her.
We were both kinda loners, albeit for slightly different reasons. Her dad was military and they had moved around a lot as she grew up, and as a result she tended to only have a few close friends. I didn't make that particular list but because of our proximity in class, we ended up studying together quite a bit.
I was always the academic, acing most of my classes while sleeping through the actual lessons themselves. But when Caprice needed help understanding a concept she would inevitably wake me up and pester me until she understood it. I always tried to be friendly with her, and I do think she saw me as a friend at least. But I was in foster care, in a suburban school district and originally from the inner city. Most of the kids in my school struck me as pretentious and snobby, and I shunned most of them because they were about as shallow as a kiddie pool, with few redeeming qualities (in my eyes).
But I never really put Caprice in that group. I thought she was hot, of course, and yeah that made me want to get to know her but even though she was from Cali, she had never given me the kind of pretentious air that most of the other kids had.
I was just smirking about having blown off my high school graduation when I was interrupted from my reverie -- my phone was ringing. Surprised, I looked at the caller id and it came back as "The Bunny Brothel," the same company I had just applied to. I answered the call.
"Hello, I'm looking to speak with Mr. King, if he's available."
"You got him. I wasn't expecting you guys to reach back out so fast," I say with a nervous laugh.
The lady on the end of the phone laughed with me, "It's okay, we want all of our clients to have a great experience with us and that starts with getting you on the books as soon as possible."
"I appreciate that," I said, before letting her continue with her spiel. She ran through all my paperwork to make sure everything was in order, before pausing.
"I see you've selected Rose as the girl you'd like to meet with," she said, not betraying anything in her voice.
"Yes," I said, "Is that a problem?" I ask, curious.
"No, it's just that I see you've never booked with us before," she answered. "Do you mind if I ask why you decided to request Rose? She's also pretty new with us, as well."
My mind raced. I wasn't sure if I should admit knowing Caprice from school, so I kept my answer vague. "I was looking through the pictures you have of your workers on the website, she was the one I found most attractive," I say, keeping my voice casual.
"I see," said the lady from the brothel. "Well, Rose has a spot open tomorrow night at 9pm. Does that work for you?"
I nodded before remembering the lady on the phone couldn't see me. "Yes, that works fine."
"Okay. Our address is listed on the website you applied through, please show up about a half hour early so we can get some final signatures and get you paid up before your meeting begins. Have a great night!" She finished enthusiastically.
"Thanks," I said into the phone, disconnecting the call and staring at my computer screen for a minute. This was really going to happen, I thought to myself.
It was already late, so I went ahead and turned in for the night, drifting off to sleep wondering about how the next day would turn out.
---
The next day I actually had off from work, so I spent the day just making sure stuff was done around the house and, once the evening hit, I took a long shower, being careful to make sure I trimmed myself up and was clean. I wasn't actually planning to make Caprice have sex with me tonight, but depending on how things go... One can never be too careful.
I had already decided that I was going to let Caprice have the option, she could turn me down, or not, and I would still pay the rates they had listed. It was worth it just to have a chance to catch up with her, since we had drifted our own directions since high school.
I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror as I finished getting dressed. I had always been a little heavy, but working on cars these last few years had kinda shaped me into a little more muscle than fat. I still had a bit of a belly but overall I think I looked okay. In high school I had been overweight and a bit of a slacker, and I had graduated weighing almost 300 lbs. I was down now to about 230 and, like I said, a lot of muscle. Most of the fat I had left on my body was primarily in my stomach, and I shrugged at myself in the mirror.
I was wearing simple clothes, a pair of jeans and a shirt with a hoodie on top of it. It was February in the northern hemisphere so it was a little cold, but I was always a 68-degree-person, so cooler weather didn't bother me as much as it did some. Giving myself one last look in the mirror, making sure my hair was tidy, I left the bathroom and grabbed my keys, locking up behind me as I left.
I made the short drive to the address that was listed on the website. It looked like an old hotel that the company had converted. That made sense, I suppose, given the business model they had.
I parked outside the main entrance and went inside to the desk. The lobby was empty aside from the receptionist, and she waved me forward.